Vera Wang

Vera Wang grew up in a Chinese-American background in New York, attending the prestigious prep-school of Chapin, followed by Sarah Lawrence College and the Sorbonne in Paris, France. Her career as a fashion designer shortly began following sixteen years at Vogue as a Senior Fashion Director, followed by a gig at Ralph Lauren as a design director.

Vera Wang was very much frustrated to find that there was little or no fashion in the bridal industry. All she could find were traditional dresses that lacked the haute couture sophistication. So she took action and did what any fashion-minded woman would do; she designed her own bridal line. Vera Wang then opened a luxury salon in 1990, showcasing her new bridal collection. But the elegance, detailing, and freshness of her line quickly won her many benefits from the world at large, and a wedding dress superstar was successfully born.

In 1994, a simple white skating dress with illusion sleeves worn by Nancy Kerrigan also contributed towards the establishment of her name. A life-long athlete who has competed in international skating competitions herself, Vera Wang continues to design costumes for Olympic skaters such as Michelle Kwan.

Amongst Hollywood celebrities, Jennifer Lopez wore Vera Wang's off-the shoulder ruffled lace dress for her surprise marriage to Marc Anthony in June 2004. But she is far from the only bride to wear Vera Wang. From Jessica Simpson's meringue wedding dress to Sharon Stone's pale-pink chiffon wedding dress, this designer is continuously the choice of celebrities. Other celebrities wearing Vera Wang on their wedding day include Uma Thurman, Mariah Carey, Holly Hunter, and Karenna Gore.

In the tradition of Paris couture, Vera Wang is known for always using rich fabrics, and many luxurious details such as hand beading, and the best craftsmanship. Vera Wang Wedding Dresses skirt the fine line of applying modern touches to traditional styles, avoiding both harsh modern looks and syrupy old-fashioned sweetness. As her design empire has grown, the range has also grown. Today, a bride can find everything from sweet bows to unusual tulle-backed dresses, and even dresses with wide gold lamé bands along the bottom. She tells brides that they can be sensual, and in fact, this may be where she's had the most influence on the wedding industry. Whether traditional ball-gowns or dramatic mermaid-train dresses, her wedding dresses celebrate the body at its very best.

Today, Vera Wang is perhaps the best known wedding dress designer in the business. She has expanded her brand to include fragrances, jewelry, eyewear, shoes, as well as a home collection with Wedgewood, all touched by her luxurious and sophisticated style. She continues to live in New York City with her husband, Arthur Becker, and their two daughters.

Find fashion by Vera Wang @ the following eshop: